Turkey: TRT channel to launch Kurdish broadcast

[Harold Schiffman]

TRT channel to launch Kurdish broadcast
İbrahim Sahin
The state's official radio and television station, TRT, is planning toset aside one of its five channels for broadcasts in non-Turkishlanguages used by Turkish citizens, most notably Kurdish, according togovernment officials.  The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKParty) has decided to go forward with new efforts to expand broadcastsin Kurdish amid criticism that the government's reform process hasencountered a serious slowdown. The first official statement regardingthe foreign language broadcasts on TRT came from Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdoğan, who noted during his early February visit to Germanythat new Kurdish language broadcasts would soon be launched on TRT.
Speaking with Today's Zaman, TRT General Manager İbrahim Şahin said ithad not yet been decided exactly how the foreign language broadcastswould be carried out but that most likely an entire channel will bedevoted to Kurdish broadcasts.  Şahin noted that the TRT board ofdirectors places a strong emphasis on the cultural aspects of thesebroadcasts. He said, "This channel will start broadcasting as soon aspossible. … We don't have an exact date yet, though."  Şahin alsostressed that TRT had the ability to successfully air foreign languagebroadcasts of this type and that the TRT board was already at work oncoming up with the content of the Kurdish programming.
 TRT is currently planning to either dedicate one of its currentchannels to full day Kurdish language broadcasts, or to have thesebroadcasts aired on a new TRT channel. One thing it does accept isthat the previous attempt at Kurdish language (and other language)broadcasts was insufficient. The popular view now at TRT is that infact a new channel should be dedicated to Kurdish language broadcasts.TRT's "TRT GAP" channel might be used for this purpose. Though otherlanguages are to be included, as was the case with the broadcasts thatstarted up in 2004, this time around it is less likely to includeBosnian and Circassian, and more likely to keep the focus on Kurdish,with some Arabic and Farsi.
The final decision on these TRT plans at this point will be comingfrom the administration in Ankara.  TRT first began its Kurdishbroadcasts on June 9, 2004. Broadcasts done in the Kurdish dialect ofKurmanji were followed by broadcasts in the other Kurdish dialect ofZaza. Around 90 percent of Kurdish people speak Kurmanji and the restspeak Zaza, but most of those who speak Zaza can also speak Kurmanji.These broadcasts included not only news, but documentaries, music andpopular information programs. Parallel to the television broadcasts,radio broadcasts in Kurdish also began at the same time; however, thebriefness of the broadcasts was criticized by EU officials at thetime.
Full support from the DTP
The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) has declared its fullsupport for the plans. DTP Şırnak deputy Hasip Kaplan said: "This is avery important decision. After all, broadcast policy is in itself veryimportant. All the people of this nation need to believe that thischannel is following an open and equal broadcast policy toward all thepolitical parties and that, instead of racist or chauvinisticpolicies, it is pursuing democratic and peaceful policies. The peoplewho are involved in preparing these broadcasts need to be very awareof this. If they are, I am sure that this will be a successfulchannel. It has always been a part of our party's platform that TRTneeds to have a channel devoted to Kurdish language broadcasting.There are private television stations and television stationsbroadcasting from Iraq in the region, but TRT can do much better thanthey can because of its broadcasting capabilities and facilities. Butif it broadcasts shows explaining topics far from th!
 e basic problemsof the people in the region --- like how ants procreate -- there won'tbe much meaning to it. If they are going to do broadcasts that capturewhat is going on in daily life, then we support this."
DTP Siirt deputy Osman Özçelik underscored the need for the new TRTKurdish language broadcasts to be noticeably different from thestation's previous attempt. "If the broadcasts are like the previousones, lasting only 15 minutes and doing nothing to attract theinterest of people in the region, it won't work. But we believe thatif one channel has been given over to full-day Kurdish broadcasts,this means the government is finally approaching the matter moreseriously. These are broadcasts that could contribute to thedemocratization of Turkey, and to the finding of solutions. It couldalso help contribute to the development and strengthening of theKurdish language itself. But the broadcasts need to be done asobjectively as possible, and by following a realistic broadcastingpolicy. Disinformation needs to be eliminated, and the broadcasts mustnot be turned into vehicles for political wars. We have a need for aquality channel offering culture as well as information and news."
Özçelik also noted that effective broadcasts by TRT in Kurdish couldhelp break the influence of stations known for their links with theseparatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), such as the Denmark-basedROJ TV.  "Rather than being limited to certain hours of the day, thebroadcasts should be done with the same mentality that governs anyprivate station by paying attention to viewer ratings. There arealready hundreds of television programs in Turkey. People have to bepresented with quality alternatives," Özçelik added.



21.02.2008
ERCAN YAVUZ  ANKARA


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